I can't undermine the value of nostalgia, especially when it comes to restaurants and cafes, because food memories are always the best kind of memories. It was way back, 15 years ago when the only decent Italian stand-alone restaurant in G Town was one that served the best lasagne ever and it was none other than Italiano, which stands proud at Cyberhub today and I for one, couldn't be happier to see them grow bigger and better. They fed me comfort food at a time when I lived in a town that barely qualified as a town at all. Now, when you walk in, it's like a homely bistro, complete with food quotes on cheese boards, faux grapevines and super polite staff and a much larger menu than before. The rustic, Italian village represented in the decor adds to the love and warmth in the food and going back after ages felt like going back home!
We went with a large appetite and I suggest you do too, the portions are hearty just like everything Italian. We started with the Cold Cut Platter which was laden with super fresh parma ham, smoked salmon and pepperoni with relish and crackers to enjoy it with. A platter like this needed wine, so a side note to add that to your order for sure. As much as we wanted the Calamari Fritto (batter-fried squid), we skipped it for more wine food and ordered the Burrata Caprese which came drizzled with pesto, homemade, rich and delicious. Since the menu super carb-heavy as is expected of an Italian menu, we kept the rest of our appetite for the Duck Ravioli, the creamy sauce ought to be bottled, that combined with the gaminess of the duck made for a stellar dish. Though this was enough food for two, we couldn't resist the hand-tossed pizza, we tried the White Margherita Pepperoni, which was a pizza sans the red sauce and surprisingly, we didn't miss the sauce at all, this would be worth going back for. They have main courses as well, so just for posterity we chose the Bacon, Corn and Smoked Cheese stuffed Chicken Breast and it was perfectly cooked, the corn could have been the creamed kind, but the kernels added a nice bite to the otherwise soft flesh of the chicken.
The menu is loaded with lots more, risotto, regular pasta and platters but by the end of the meal, we could barely move. Yet, no meal is complete without dessert and at a place like Italiano, it had to be Tiramisu, they make it with sponge cake which made me miss the savoiardi biscuits but the balance of flavours made it great nonetheless. Italiano is ideal for a date if you're planning dinner or brunch if you're going with your gang or family, it should be on the radar simply for the comfort food it has to offer.
We went with a large appetite and I suggest you do too, the portions are hearty just like everything Italian. We started with the Cold Cut Platter which was laden with super fresh parma ham, smoked salmon and pepperoni with relish and crackers to enjoy it with. A platter like this needed wine, so a side note to add that to your order for sure. As much as we wanted the Calamari Fritto (batter-fried squid), we skipped it for more wine food and ordered the Burrata Caprese which came drizzled with pesto, homemade, rich and delicious. Since the menu super carb-heavy as is expected of an Italian menu, we kept the rest of our appetite for the Duck Ravioli, the creamy sauce ought to be bottled, that combined with the gaminess of the duck made for a stellar dish. Though this was enough food for two, we couldn't resist the hand-tossed pizza, we tried the White Margherita Pepperoni, which was a pizza sans the red sauce and surprisingly, we didn't miss the sauce at all, this would be worth going back for. They have main courses as well, so just for posterity we chose the Bacon, Corn and Smoked Cheese stuffed Chicken Breast and it was perfectly cooked, the corn could have been the creamed kind, but the kernels added a nice bite to the otherwise soft flesh of the chicken.
The menu is loaded with lots more, risotto, regular pasta and platters but by the end of the meal, we could barely move. Yet, no meal is complete without dessert and at a place like Italiano, it had to be Tiramisu, they make it with sponge cake which made me miss the savoiardi biscuits but the balance of flavours made it great nonetheless. Italiano is ideal for a date if you're planning dinner or brunch if you're going with your gang or family, it should be on the radar simply for the comfort food it has to offer.